


Muse

by sunshinedoll



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-22 11:58:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17059367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshinedoll/pseuds/sunshinedoll
Summary: Art student Renjun can't find inspiration in anything. Once overflowing with passion for art, so much that he moved from China to Korea to attend a prestigious art school, he has now become numb. That is, until he meets Donghyuck, the music student with the face of an angel and a voice like heaven.





	1. Chapter 1

Renjun sat, staring at a blank canvas. He held a pencil in his hand, and he had brushes and paint, ready to use. But inspiration just wouldn't come. He couldn't _feel_ anything.  
  
All of his art lately had been bland. It wasn't like he'd forgotten everything he'd learned. His two years of art school had not been wasted. But he had forgotten how to put emotion onto a canvas. How to make simple paint convey his innermost thoughts and invoke something in the viewer. Yeah, he could draw or paint something that looked good. But his hands seemed unable to create something worthy of being called _art_.  
  
Turning away from the blank canvas, Renjun decided to pay a visit to his friend, Chenle. He was a music major, from China, like Renjun.  
  
_This place_ , Renjun thought to himself, _it used to make me feel something. Why am I so numb_? His body went on autopilot as he made the trek from the art studio to the music studio.  
  
"Hey, Chenle!" he called out, walking into the room. "Renjun!" The voice, so comforting to Renjun, as close as he had to family here, shouted over other voices.  
  
When Renjun decided to move to Korea to attend this fancy art school, his parents didn't exactly approve. They expected from Renjun what all parents seem to expect from their kids; a doctor or a lawyer or something like that. But that wasn't who Renjun was. He was an artist. He spent all of his free time drawing, filling dozens of sketchpads with his ideas. His thoughts. His feelings.  
  
Finally, he convinced his parents. And they let him move. But, even if he had friends, it still felt lonely. Like on holidays, when the school became deserted because everyone had gone home to see their families but Renjun couldn't, not because his family was poor but the trips were expensive and his parents worked during holidays anyways. So he settled for a video call with them on every holiday that never filled the part of him that felt empty and hollowed out from how much he missed his family.  
  
Chenle helped fill that hole. He was kind, and funny, and an absolute trainwreck in all the best ways. He didn't have his life together, it seemed, but the closer you look the more you realize he is in control of things.  
  
It wasn't weird for other people to be with Chenle. He had a lot of friends. Renjun didn't know most of them because they were in the music program.  
  
Renjun walked into the room and saw Chenle sitting at the grand piano. Two other guys were in the room, one was sitting on the piano bench with Chenle and the other was sitting in a chair next to the piano, with a guitar. "Renjun!" Chenle called again, standing up. He launched himself at the older boy and wrapped him in a hug. It was how Chenle greeted all of his friends.  
  
"Mark, Donghyuck, this is my best friend, Renjun! Renjun, this is Mark and Donghyuck." Renjun smiled at being called Chenle's best friend. The guy with the guitar waved as Chenle said his name, which was Mark. He set his guitar down and stood to face Renjun, but the other guy, Donghyuck stayed at the piano.  
  
"I'm teaching Donghyuck how to play piano," Chenle said, sitting back down on the bench. Renjun dragged a chair up and sat on the side opposite of Mark. Donghyuck looked at the keys intently. He concentrated as if his life depended on it.  
  
Mark nudged Donghyuck, who jolted, as if he were in a trance, then looked at Renjun.  
He was the most beautiful person Renjun had probably ever seen. Even in the fluorescent lighting, which made everyone else's skin look sallow, he seemed to glow. His eyes were captivating, they glittered in the light. "Uh, Renjun?"  
  
Chenle brought Renjun back to reality. "Oh, uh," he stuttered. Chenle laughed, and of course he knew what was going through Renjun's head, but he didn't say anything. If he had, Renjun probably would have killed him or died of embarrassment or maybe even both.  
  
"So what did you need Renjun?" Chenle asked. Donghyuck, who Renjun was hyper aware of now, began to play the piano quietly, the first few notes of a classical song Renjun had heard a million times but never knew the name of. "Just, um, needed some company," he replied. It took everything in him to keep his voice calm when the epitome of beauty was sitting just a few feet away.  
  
"Well, you can stay here with us, but you'll have to listen to Fur Elise a million times." Donghyuck laughed ever so lightly, and Renjun's heart skipped a beat. _That's cliche_ , he chided himself. _But it's true._  
  
It wasn't that Renjun didn't believe in love or whatever. It just wasn't something he ever really imagined for himself. The whole fluttering heart, butterflies in the stomach, all-curing romance story didn't quite appeal to him. Or, it didn't make sense to him. Having a boyfriend wouldn't solve his problems.

Renjun stayed in the music studio and hung out with Chenle, Mark, and Donghyuck for a while, until he couldn't bare to listen to the same part of the same song over and over.  
  
"Leaving so soon?" Chenle asked. "Yeah, I should go back to the art studio and try to paint something." Chenle nodded. "Goodluck!" Mark said goodbye, too, and Donghyuck said, "It was nice to meet you!" Renjun quickly said bye to everyone again, and then left.  
  
He had to force himself to slow down, he wanted to get out of there. And he could lie to himself all he wanted but he knew exactly why. It was Donghyuck, who's attractiveness made Renjun feel like a live wire.  
  
_Why so shallow? You've never been concerned with looks before_. It was true. But Renjun had also never seen anyone who looked like Donghyuck.  
  
He opened the door and walked into the art studio again, feeling the same weight pushing down on him once again. The room that he used to feel so alive in made him feel overwhelmed now.  
  
Flipping the light switch, Renjun thought about what he should paint. No inspiration struck. No desire to paint suddenly came over him. He just stared blankly at the canvas. _Numb_ , he thought, _I'm absolutely numb._  
  



	2. Chapter 2

  
"Um, is somebody in here?" Renjun jolted awake. _Oh shit_ , he thought, _I fell asleep in the studio._ After staring at the blank canvas, Renjun decided to sit at one of the few desks that were strewn about the art studio because his legs were sore from standing for so long. Apparently, he hadn't moved from there.   
  
Whoever it was who had been at the door came inside. "Uh, sorry to bother you, I didn't think anyone was in here. I thought the studios just opened?" The boy seemed confused. Renjun glanced at the wall clock. It was 7:15 AM. "Um, yeah, yeah the studios just opened," he replied, moving to get his things and leaving.   
  
"Oh, you don't have to leave! If you still need the studio I don't want to force you out!" Renjun paused. _Why do you even want to stay? Nothing will come out of it_. But he decided to stay anyways, just to spite the voice in his head, whether it was right or not.   
  
"My name is Jaemin, by the way." Renjun smiled kindly, introducing himself. The boys shook hands.   
  
Renjun watched, captivated, as Jaemin set down his bag and pulled out his brushes and palette. "So uh, are you new here?" he asked. Jaemin nodded. "I just got moved in yesterday, today is my first day of school," he explained, then asked, "How long have you been here?"   
  
"Two years," Renjun replied. Jaemin seemed in awe. "Wow," he gasped, "I love it here already. What is it like to be in the art department for so long?"   
  
Renjun didn't want to break the poor, excited boy's spirit. He almost said that he was hardly even able to create art anymore but stopped himself. "It's great. I've learned a lot and expanded my abilities, I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun." Jaemin smiled even wider.  
  
Renjun and Jaemin were both in the studio for a while. They talked and got to know each other a bit. Renjun learned that Jaemin was only a few months younger than him, and he was born in Seoul. "So why'd you wait so long to come to school here?" Renjun asked. Wouldn't it have been easier for him, since he already lived in the same city as the school?   
  
"Well, my parents really didn't want me to go to art school. You know how parents are, they want their kids to do something more practical. It took a lot of convincing." Renjun laughed a bit, smiling.   
  
"I know how that feels. I had to convince my parents to let me move out of China to come here." Jaemin gaped at Renjun. "You moved all the way from China?" Renjun nodded.   
  
"Wow, that's insane. You must be really devoted to being an artist," Jaemin continued. "You could say that."   
  
For the first time in weeks, Renjun managed to put something on the canvas. It was a simple painting, a flower that Renjun only painted to practice his light and shading techniques. Not much, but a step in the right direction.   
  
By the time first period rolled around, Renjun had stared at the simple painting until he hated it. Jaemin had left the studio about half an hour before so he could talk to his homeroom teacher before class started, leaving Renjun alone.   
  
As the bell rang, Renjun grabbed his stuff and walked out. Almost as soon as he set foot outside the door, Chenle bounded toward him, a ball of pure energy, as always. "Hi, Chenle," Renjun grunted as Chenle wrapped his arms around him so tight Renjun could've sworn his ribcage broke.   
  
As they made their way down the hall, the two talked a bit. Chenle made fun of Renjun for falling asleep in the art studio, then questioned why no one had kicked him out since the studios closed at 10. Renjun said he didn't know, and the topic of conversation shifted.   
  
"So, don't think I forgot about how you were looking at Donghyuck yesterday." Renjun felt his face get hot. He slapped Chenle's arm, which stopped the younger from giggling, and whispered, "Shut up!"   
  
"Oh does Injunnie have a crush?" Chenle teased. "No, just because I think someone is attractive does not mean I have a crush on them. I care more about personality," Renjun answered, ignoring the use of the nickname he'd been given when he first moved to Seoul. "Well, Donghyuck has a great personality! People even call him Haechan, you know, full sun?"   
  
"Are you trying to set me up with him or something?" Renjun asked, facing his friend. Chenle smiled mischievously. "Do you want me to be trying to set you up with him?" Renjun rolled his eyes. "You are the most annoying, insufferable-"   
  
"Yeah save that for later, I can't afford to be late to class again," Chenle called, cutting Renjun off and jogging towards his first period class. Renjun rolled his eyes, and went to his own homeroom.   
• • •   
  
Donghyuck sat in first period, eyes glazed over with boredom. Even at an art school, you had to take core classes like math and history. He hated those classes.   
  
_Buzz_. His phone vibrated in his book bag, and a few of the people sitting around him glanced in his direction, having noticed it. Once they turned around, Donghyuck discreetly slipped the phone out of his bag and held it under the desk, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible while checking the notification. It was a text from Mark.   
  
_Dude_ , it read, _what did you think of that guh Chenle introduced us to yesterday?_ Donghyuck rolled his eyes and put his phone on silent before putting it back into his book bag. He would rather pay attention to his outstandingly boring world history teacher than deal with Mark trying to set him up with someone he hardly knew.   
  
Mark was always doing that. Donghyuck knew it was with good intentions, since Donghyuck did seem to have a new crush all the time, but he didn't really want to be in a relationship.   
  
He was totally focused on music, and making a whole world for himself inside of it. Ever since he was a little boy, he'd loved to sing. It was everything to him. When he was sad, listening to music made him feel better. When he was happy, singing multiplied his joy times a thousand. Music was his favorite thing, it healed him like that song Rapunzel sang healed Mother Gothel.   
  
His whole family had loved music. His mom sang to him when he was little, his father would play piano and guitar. He grew up surrounded by music. It only made sense that he, too, should love music. But when he told his family that he wanted to make a life out of it, they didn't approve.   
  
"You won't make enough money, Donghyuck!" his mother cried. "Music is a hobby, not a career," his father stated. "You'll never be big enough to make a decent amount of money." He didn't care. He would show them. Prove to them that he was that one in a million.   
  
He thought making it into the school would be enough. He thought passing the application process, which included a demonstration of your chosen department, would be enough. But it wasn't. They were angry when they found out he'd applied. When he received his acceptance letter, they gave him an ultimatum. "Go to the school and don't come back until you're famous, or keep your family and forget about a music career." He asked why they couldn't just support him.  
  
His grandmother found out that they were kicking him out. "I will support you, and pay your tuition. Go to art school. Follow your dreams," she said. And so Donghyuck moved from Jeju to Seoul and began his new life. Every day he regretted his decision a little bit less.   
  
Here, he was learning so much. Learning about vocal technique and how to convey emotion and how to play instruments. He learned about backing vocals and music production and everything that goes into creating a song. It was heaven for him.   
  
He was happy. Content. He had everything he needed in his music and his friends. He didn't want a boyfriend because he knew that would just cause stress and take his focus off of what was really important. So even if he thought that Renjun guy was cute, even if there were a million guys falling at his feet and begging him to date them, he would stay single. His life was enough for him.   
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

When the bell finally rang, Renjun slowly stood and stretched. His third period, history of art, was probably his least favorite class of the day. The bell that signalled the end of that class, and the beginning of his twenty minute lunch period, was one of his favorite sounds.   
  
Unfortunately, Chenle had a different lunch wave than Renjun, but he had made friends with a few other kids who had no one else to sit with, either. One of them was Jisung, a dance major who Renjun saw as his little brother. Another was Yukhei, who was a bit older than Renjun and a lot taller. Yukhei, another dance major, was funny and made the table laugh a lot. Jeno, a fellow art major, the final regular at the table, was a ray of sunshine. That boy was always smiling, but no one was complaining because his smile was so _cute_.   
  
"Hey, uh, Renjun, right?" Though the voice sounded familiar, Renjun didn't know who it was until he turned around. "Oh, uh, yeah," he replied, stumbling over his words. Donghyuck smiled ever so slightly. "Uh, do you mind if I sit here today? I usually sit with Mark but he decided to ditch me today." Renjun nodded silently, feeling his face grow hot.   
  
Donghyuck slid a chair from underneath the table and took a seat, setting his tray down. Just then, Yukhei, Jeno, and Jisung strolled in together, laughing. "Hey Renjun, who is this?" Yukhei asked. "I'm Donghyuck, Renjun's friend."   
  
Jeno gave Donghyuck his winning smile, then the three introduced themselves. Donghyuck proved himself to be quite talkative with the other three, laughing and even joining in on the quick-witted banter they threw around each day. Renjun was perfectly content to be quiet until Jisung just had to say something.   
  
"Renjun, since when are you so quiet? Usually by now you've told us we're dumb at least once." Renjun flushed. "I'm just not feeling too well today," he answered quickly.   
  
When the bell signalling the end of lunch period sounded, Renjun was up and out of his seat in a heartbeat. As he walked out, he heard Donghyuck ask jokingly, "Is he that ready to be rid of me?" The other three laughed.   
  
And finally, finally, it was Renjun's fourth period, his free period. He could do pretty much whatever he wanted. Not that he would do what he wanted. Just force himself to try and paint something, or at least even sketch something.   
  
Half an hour later, he stood, as always, staring at the canvas he'd set up on the easel. But this time he had painted something, and disappointment rolled off of him in waves, taking hold of his mind and body with it's desperate grasp. _This is worthless_ , it said, _you convinced your parents to send you here and for what? So you can disappoint them, the way you disappoint yourself?_   
  
Suddenly it was all too much. Renjun had been so good at blocking out those thoughts but for whatever reason, he just couldn't. He felt weak at the knee. His eyes stung. _I just want to go home._   
  
_Then go_ , that voice, that awful voice that was inside of him but seemed to be entirely against him, sneered. _Go home. You weren't cut out for this. You'll never be cut out for this._   
  
Renjun curled himself into a ball in the corner as tears fell hot and fast down his cheeks. His own mind bombarded him with thoughts that broke him into tiny little pieces.   
  
For weeks, months, even, he'd begged to whatever power there might be to end the numbness he'd felt for so long. But as he sat there, legs hugged to his chest and eyes overflowing with tears, he wondered if it was even worth it.   
  
The only thing that could make this worse, he thought, would be if someone walked in here right now. And as luck would have it, the door handle turned and someone stepped into the room.   
  
"Hello? Renjun? Chenle said you would probably be here." _Oh shit_. Donghyuck had found him. Of fucking course Donghyuck had found him, because Renjun was so damn lucky.   
  
"Oh, shit. Are you okay?" Donghyuck asked when he spotted the crying boy. And oh, how Renjun wanted to say yes and pretend that everything was okay. But as he opened his mouth to say yes, everything was fine, just got paint in my eye, his voice evaded him and was replaced by more tears.   
  
Donghyuck set down what he had been holding, Renjun's book bag that had been left in the cafeteria, and sat next to the crying boy. "What's wrong?" he asked gently. Renjun, who had buried his face in his hands, simply shook his head.   
  
"Do you want me to call Chenle?" Chenle. Renjun's best friend. Renjun didn't want to talk to Donghyuck about what was going on, obviously, but Chenle could help. _Needy little shit, don't bother Chenle_. "Yes, please," Renjun answered shakily. Donghyuck nodded, then stood and pulled a phone from his own book bag.   
  
After a few minutes, he looked at Renjun again. "Chenle said he'll be here in a few minutes, as soon as he can get out of class. Do you want me to stay with you until he gets here?"   
  
_He's so kind_ , Renjun thought as he nodded his head yes, yes he would like it if Donghyuck would stay with him. He didn't want to embarrass himself any further but he didn't want to be alone because having someone there with him had, for the most part, put those ugly thoughts to rest.   
  
Donghyuck sat next to him again, and to Renjun's surprise, took his hand silently. His thumb rubbed circles on the back of Renjun's hand soothingly, but even then he tensed up. "Oh, I'm sorry," Donghyuck said quickly, letting go of Renjun's hand, "I usually comfort my friends that way, I wasn't even really thinking about it."   
  
The door to the studio swung open and Chenle rushed in, flinging himself to the floor next to Renjun. "Are you okay?" Renjun shrugged. He wasn't, not at all, but Donghyuck had calmed him down enough to where he could pretend.   
  
"Hyuck, thank you so much for staying with him." Donghyuck smiled, then stood and left, pausing at the door to say, "I hope you feel better soon, Renjun."   
  
Chenle and Renjun stayed together for the rest of the afternoon. They had stayed in the studio for a bit, Chenle distracting Renjun just long enough for the red puffiness to leave the older boy's eyes, then they went to Renjun's dorm, where he told Chenle everything.   
  
"Junnie," Chenle whispered quietly, his best friend's head resting on his shoulder. Chenle stroked his hair, wishing more than anything for Renjun to find a way back to himself. 


	4. Chapter 4

_Breathe. Inhale, exhale_. Renjun had taken a few days away from school. From art. From everything. After his meltdown, he felt miserable. He was anxious of those horrid, viscous thoughts returning. A few times they did, and he would begin to shake all over, feeling like he couldn't draw enough air into his lungs, his heart thudding against his ribcage like it was trying to escape.   
  
_You can't even go back into that room,_ his mind told him, _how weak_. Renjun lay in his bed, tears welling up once again. Don't, he protested weakly. He didn't have the energy to argue with himself.   
  
A knock at the door startled him, saving him from himself for just a moment. Wiping at his eyes, Renjun rolled off the bed and walked to the door. When he opened it, Chenle attacked him with a hug, like always.   
  
The past few days, Chenle has been Renjun's only light. Reminding him to eat, to shower and brush his teeth, to change clothes. After school he comes straight to Renjun's dorm with a hug and straightens up for his friend. Renjun appreciates it so, so much, but he just can't find a way to express it.   
  
"Was today any better?" Renjun shrugged. He supposed it might have been, he hasn't cried so much, but he's starting to feel numb again and this time he welcomes that feeling because it's better than whatever the hell he's been feeling lately.   
  
Chenle doesn't press Renjun, doesn't make him talk. Instead, he changes the subject. "Do you think you'll come back to school soon?" Renjun says yes quietly, adding, "I can't hide forever." Chenle smiles at him, hugging him again.   
  
The next day, Renjun awakes to the familiar sound of his alarm clock going off. He manages to get himself out of bed and get dressed without Chenle telling him to, which is a major improvement from just the day before, he thinks.   
  
First and second period go fairly well, Renjun keeps busy with his work so he doesn't have time to think. In his third period he knew that his mind would wander and probably not to good places, so he was on his phone for most of the time.   
  
Finally, the lunch bell rang and he was the first one out the door, ready to see Yukhei and Jeno and Jisung again.   
  
Renjun was the first one there on most days, so he expected their table to be empty. However, a familiar face was sitting at the table, and he wished it wasn't because this particular person was one he'd embarrassed himself in front of about a week ago. "Renjun!" Donghyuck called, noticing the boy. Renjun plastered a smile onto his face, hoping Donghyuck wouldn't bring up how he caught Renjun crying.   
  
As Renjun took a seat across the table, Donghyuck made small talk. Finally, Yukhei and Jisung showed up, saving Renjun from this awkwardness. Soon, everyone was there, including Mark. Apparently Donghyuck and Mark were invited to sit at their table, since the other three seemed to like them so much.   
  
Mark and Yukhei were perfectly suited for each other, laughing the entire time. "So Renjun, we never thought we'd see you again," Jisung announced. Renjun smiled and he was sure the others could tell it was forced.   
  
"I just wasn't really feeling well," he replied, scolding himself at how tense his voice came out. "Really? You never miss school, we had to force you to stay in your dorm that time you got a stomach bug," Jeno said. He turned to Mark and Donghyuck, adding, "He tried to carry a trashcan around to puke in so he wouldn't miss school."   
  
"I didn't peg you as a goody two shoes," Donghyuck teased. Renjun, for the first time in seemingly forever, felt comfortable and almost like himself. "I'm not," he answered, almost unable to keep his lips from curling into a genuine smile, "but if I miss too many days I can't exempt my exams."   
  
Donghyuck chuckled. "So you make good grades?" Renjun nodded, answering with, "Well my art classes are easy and I have my friend Taeyong help with the others, since he's a senior."   
  
For the rest of lunch, Donghyuck and Renjun kept up that same type of light conversation. Renjun felt a lot better than he had in a long time. But when the bell rang and everyone said goodbye and rushed to their fourth period, Renjun's momentary relief disappeared.   
  
His free period was when he did most of his painting. Going back to the art studio made him feel like he was going back to the thoughts he was having that day. Picking up his foot and placing it in front of the other felt like a death march. He made it to the door of the studio but couldn't even lift his hand to open the door.   
  
So he didn't. He walked away from the door and the studio and what that room was associated with now. He wandered aimlessly, not sure where he was going or why. Just going to get away. From the studio. From what happened. From his own mind.   
  
He fell into a kind of daze, hardly even aware of what he was doing. When he came to, he was in a part of the school he hadn't been in before. "How did I get here?" he asked himself.  
  
Instead of trying to find his way back, he kept wandering deeper into the hallway. Each doorway had a poster for a different club, meaning the room was used for that club. Amateur art club for non-art majors, glee club, chess club, drama club.   
  
Renjun guessed he was in the basement. He knew that all the club rooms were down there but he'd never joined a club, so he never had a reason to go down there.  
  
One room had the door open, and he smelled something baking. He peered through the doorway and saw about six people standing in a room that looked like someone ripped a kitchen right out of someone's house and placed it in the school.   
  
"Are you like stalking me now?" Renjun jumped, having zoned out again, and his eyes met Donghyuck's, who looked at him with bright eyes and a teasing smile. "No, of course not," Renjun spluttered, unsure of what to say. "You're confusing, you know. Sometimes you can be witty and sometimes you're shy." Renjun wanted to reply to this observation, but he couldn't think of anything. His cheeks felt hot.   
  
"Hey, Hyuck!" Donghyuck turned around as another boy walked up behind him, placing his hands on Donghyuck's shoulders. "Recruiting a new member to the baking club?" the older boy asked. Donghyuck shook his head, but Renjun spoke up. "Actually, he was!"  



	5. Chapter 5

The older boy smiled brightly. "Awesome! I'm Jungwoo, the president of the club. Come with me so we can get you signed up!" His voice was soft and soothing. Renjun glanced at Donghyuck, who stared at him wide-eyed, and then followed Jungwoo into the room.   
  
Renjun saw another person he recognized, Mark, laughing as he spoke to another boy, probably older. A few girls also hung out in the room, talking to another two boys.   
  
Jungwoo lead him to the back of the room, where there was a big, round table with a bunch of chairs around it. "Have a seat," he said. Renjun did, and Jungwoo sat across the table from him. "So why do you want to join the club?" Renjun thought for a moment.  
  
"Well, I have a free period that I want to do something with, and I figured I should join this club since my friend is here, too." Jungwoo nodded. "You mean Donghyuck, right?" Renjun nodded. "Well, we're glad to have a new member. What's your name?" Jungwoo asked. Renjun felt at ease, the older boy was just so nice. "Huang Renjun."   
  
The two walked back to the part of the room where everyone else was. Jungwoo cleared his throat, and everyone fell silent. "Okay everyone, this is Renjun, he just joined the club!" Everyone introduced themselves to Renjun. Sicheng, Jaehyun, Johnny, Taeil, Kun, Yeri, Joohyun, Seulgi, Seungwan, and Sooyoung. Renjun tried to keep up with everyone's name as they introduced themselves.   
  
Soon after that, the bell rang. "See you tomorrow, guys!" Jungwoo called as people grabbed their things and filed out of the room.   
  
Renjun saw Donghyuck standing alone in the hall when he walked out. When he noticed Renjun, he walked towards him. "So what made you decide to join baking club? I thought you spent this time painting?" he asked. Renjun forced a light smile. "Just wanted to try something new," he answered. "So that's why you were wandering down here, looking lost?" Renjun didn't reply to that, unsure of what to say. "Well, I'm sure you'll love the baking club. All we really do is make sweets and eat them. Sometimes we make stuff for school events though." Renjun nodded. He was sure, too, that he would like baking club, as long as it kept him out of that art studio.   
  
Renjun found that he really did enjoy baking though. Not as a distraction from everything else but just as a hobby. It was nice to make sweets and laugh with his new friends.   
  
Mark was always laughing at everything, which made everyone else laugh because his smile alone was infectious. Donghyuck liked to pull pranks on the others. Once, he replaced the sugar with salt, and another time he hard boiled all the eggs and put them back in the carton. Renjun wasn't sure how he pulled that one off without getting caught. But he laughed so hard he cried when Kun tried to crack an egg and it just _wouldn't_.   
  
One day, about two or maybe three weeks after Renjun had joined the club, he was approached by Donghyuck. The boy looked around to make sure no one else was there, then leaned in close to Renjun.   
  
His heart began racing, but in a good way. The way is does when you get scared watching a horror movie, or when you've just ridden a roller coaster. "Meet me here at midnight," Donghyuck whispered, then walked away. Renjun was left to stand there, wondering why Donghyuck wanted to meet him so late on a Tuesday night.   
  
"Oh, he wants to meet you at midnight?" Chenle asked. Renjun had invited him over to hang out after school in his dorm, and had told him about what happened with Donghyuck. Now Chenle was teasing him and he regretted saying anything.   
  
"I don't even know what he wants," Renjun said, and Chenle smiled mischievously. "Maybe he wants to go on a date with you," the younger boy suggested, but Renjun shook his head. "You're delusional."   
  
That night, Renjun still wasn't sure if he wanted to go or not. At 11:45, he decided he was going to go. So he got out of his bed and threw on some clothes. _Why are you doing this, Renjun?_   
  
By the time he got to the basement, Donghyuck was already there. "You came!" His smile was bright as Renjun made his way down the hall. Donghyuck unlocked the door, saying, "I got this key out of Jungwoo's hoodie pocket while he wasn't paying attention." The door swung open, and Donghyuck went inside, Renjun following.   
  
"So why are we here?" Renjun asked. "Well, my friend, I have enlisted you to help me in my latest prank." Donghyuck went to the refrigerator and opened it, pushing past the normal baking stuff in the front, then pulled out a bag of broccoli. "What kind of prank?" Renjun asked.   
  
"Probably my best one yet," Donghyuck answered as he set the broccoli down and began gathering more supplies. "We're gonna make some cupcakes, scoop out the center, and put broccoli in there. Then, tomorrow, give them to the rest of the club," he continued. He pulled out the ingredients and supplies for making cupcakes, including cake mix. "I usually make them from scratch but I do plan on sleeping tonight, so mix will have to do."   
  
"Why do you pull these pranks?" Renjun asked, and Donghyuck laugh a bit. "Yeri actually pulled the first prank. She put pepper on my cinnamon rolls. So I pranked her back, and soon it was a war. We got the whole club involved at one point, but I won after I filled the coffee pot with soy sauce. Now I just have to assert my dominance as the prank king."   
  
"Oh, fun," Renjun replied, wondering what he had signed himself up for when he joined the baking club. What he had signed himself up for when he became friends with the boy with the bright smile.   
  
"Don't worry, if you're teamed up with me, no one will prank you. They're scared of me." Renjun giggled. The two got started making cupcakes.   
  
As Renjun was mixing cake batter, Donghyuck was making icing. "The key to this is getting everyone to trust us, so we have to make two regular cupcakes for us to eat," he explained. "How will we know which one it is?"   
  
Donghyuck smiled. "We decorate each cupcake differently, and remember which ones are normal," he answered. Renjun nodded. "Makes sense. How do you come up with these pranks?" Donghyuck shrugged. "I guess it's just my destiny." Both of them laughed.   
  
Renjun was glad that Donghyuck had invited him to help with the prank. He found himself looking forward to seeing everyone's reactions.   
  
"So," Donghyuck began, "you seem to be fitting in well with the others." Renjun nodded. "Yeah, I guess I am."   
  
"Chenle says you've changed since you joined." Renjun paused. "He says you seem happier." Donghyuck was speaking quietly. "Yeah," Renjun whispered.   
  
Donghyuck seemed to want to change the subject, so he asked, "Have you painted anything lately?" Renjun grimaced. "Uh, no. I honestly haven't been in the studio in weeks."   
  
Renjun braced himself for Donghyuck to ask why. But he didn't. He said, "Sometimes I avoid singing for a while, too. I get burned out and have to find my creative flow again." Was it really that simple? Renjun hadn't been inspired in months but he had tried every day to paint or at least sketch something. Was he really just "burned out" like Donghyuck had said?   
  
He hadn't even been to the studio in weeks. Maybe if he tried to paint now, he would find inspiration. Paint something worth being called art. But he was still scared of going back to the studio, in case his brain started attacking him again.  
  
"Yeah, I just got burned out," Renjun replied. "Well you haven't been to the studio in a while, right? Maybe you should try to paint again soon," Donghyuck suggested. "Maybe."   
  



End file.
